newshetlandfandomcom-20200214-history
Maritima
Maritima (officially named the District of Maritima) a Harvian district. The district consists of three major islands and one minor island of the Sailor's Archipelago. Its capital is Westville, which is the most populous and prosperous town of the region. Little Harbor and East-Leeburg are other significant locations in the district. Often linked to the historical uprises of the natives against slavery, Maritima could be seen as an important cultural and historical centre of the Samoan-Tongan population. The district is governed by Vlad Negresco (HCU). History There has not been predecessor of the current district to cover all islands. During the American reign, the subdivisions were simply the inhabited islands that were governed by the local town rule. Thus every island had its own board, except for the uninhabited Southern Island which belonged to the council in Little Harbor. Over the entire history, the southern islands of the Sailor's Archipelago have been by far the poorest of whole Harvia, due to its remote location. There have always been just a few economic connections with the rest of Harvia. Traditionally speaking the area covered by the current Maritima district is an autarkic farming region. In the past these lands were often plantations where natives were forced by white colonists to slave labour. This has led to many revolts and other kinds of unrests, like the violent 1907 Washington Revolt, when natives managed to overwhelm the rulers and to capture the island. Nowadays Maritima is still the most segregated region of Harvia. The majority of the whites live in the town, while poor natives are often kept outside. This feature has caused many ethnic tensions in the last two centuries. Maritima is the land of former slave labour, repressive colonial rule and segregation but also of the scenic extended grass lands, simple picturesque life and an unspoiled nature. Geography Maritima has a lot of diversity in landscapes. It is known to be a very green district, due to the fact that it is one of the least densely inhabited districts of the country. The district's most simple division is in its four islands which belong to the southern part of the Sailor's Archipelago. However Maritima is also roughly dividable in several smaller geographical regions, from north to south: # Cape Leeburg (Washington Island), the northern part of the island, is a body of land extending into the sea. The rough coast is one of the most admired sceneries in Harvia. However, this land has also known worse times, because most of the plantations where natives had to work as slaves could be found here in this nowadays silent place. # Timbery Ail (Washington Island) is the other half of the island. Unlike in the rest of Washington Island, in Timbery Ail there are dense deciduous forests. Timbery Ail is rather an unspoiled natural region. # Panthera Headland (Lion Island) is the northernmost headland of Lion Island. It is almost entirely a national park and is pure grassland. # Pilitania (Lion Island), the central part, which consists of the town Little Harbor and the Burton Peak, an inactive volcano, the district's highest point with its top reaching the 1611 m. The forests may have disappeared because of former human activities, but the current national park still remains impressive with its flora and fauna. Lions would live here in the bushes. # Yank's Sight (Lion Island), is the southern peak (556 m) and the surrounding area. The land here is very fertile and is for a significant proportion used by agriculturers. In the old days this spot was the base of a group of pirates. # Southern Island is a caldera. New eruptions created a cinder cone, which is the island today. The island has not been found suitable for human settlements, as the volcano is still active. # Saint Nicholas (All Saints Island) contains the town of Westville and the directly neighboring area. # Otonga (All Saints Island) is the region on the other side of the Mount Adams. This poor remote part of the island is inhabited by natives who live in awkward circumstances. Towns * East-Leeburg (Bavanda: Pepei ’U’a) * Little Harbor (Bavanda: A’ua ’Ire-’Ire) * Westville (Bavanda: ’Ere ’Uantahui) Islands * All Saints Island * Lion Island * Southern Island * Washington Island Demography As of 2010, the district had a population of 113.000. Almost the half of the district's inhabitants lives on Lion Island, in the town of Little Harbor. Its ethnic distribution was as follows: * Samoans 38% * Tongans 22% * Americans 22% * Europeans 14% * Others 4% Transportation An important part of the transport goes by ship. Maritima's largest harbor is the Wharf of Little Harbor on Lion Island. The wharf is mostly a transit port to other destinations in Reefs, or the other way round, in Northern. Other ports are the minor harbors of East-Leeburg and Westville. The district possesses two carriageways, namely Carriageway 8 on Lion Island and Carriageway 9 on All Saints Island. The only purpose of these ways is to connect the local farmers to the local harbor. As these islands are not densely inhabited at all, and the only possible way to connect two different towns is by see, these roads are rather silent and unused. Therefore, many animals are eager to hang out on the carriageways. As a consequence, a restriction of 20 miles an hour is imposed in the entire region. Besides the carriageways, there are several small unpaved private roads. Maritima is known to be the only subdivision without an airport. Ethymology The district is called "Maritima", which is name that derived from Latin. In this antique language, it means "of the sea" or "inhabited marine environments"Definition of "Maritima" in Latin. It is not clear why specifically this district had to got this name, because every district of the two archipelagos has settlements boardering the sea. Some state that it has a link to its nickname, the Sea District. Maritima has also got other nicknames. Most of them refer to its nature or its turbulent history: Green District, Hilly District, Lion Archipelago, Insula Servitudo, Captive Volcanoes. References Category:State Category:District Category:Maritima